Dear Friend,
This morning was like most mornings. I got up with my kids and set out breakfast for them. While I waited for them to get ready for school, I cleaned out the dishwasher and threw a load of clothes in the washing machine. I put away my sewing machine, thread, and sewing basket I had been using on a project I completed the afternoon before. Then I tidied up a bit around the house, putting the breakfast dishes in the now cleaned out dishwasher. After waving good-bye to my kids, I hopped back into bed for a bit as I was still tired from the previous day.
I can work hard and get a lot done, and I can be found snuggled up under my blankets. I can be funny and also quite serious. I can be gentle and patient, or I may need to apologize for overreacting and losing my temper…like I did a few hours ago. I can show great wisdom or be found on the opposite end of the spectrum. And I can do all of these things within the same 24-hour period. So what’s my point?
Remember when the twelve Israelite spies entered the Promised Land to scope it out (Numbers 13-14)? In a nutshell, twelve men went together to explore the land God wanted the Israelites to possess. These twelve men all saw the fruit and benefits of the land. They also all saw the giants who lived there. Every one of the twelve were familiar with God–these men were among the people God led out of Egypt. And yet…
Even though they all experienced the same things and went on the same journey, their reactions, mentalities, and future plans were different. Ten of these men reacted in fear, and two of them, Caleb and Joshua, were ready to go in and take possession of the land. Why the difference?
Our enemy has several tactics he can use to influence us. Not only does our enemy implement lying, but sometimes he uses “real” things to his advantage. He brings his highlighter pen and highlights things he wants to make sure we don’t miss. In addition, he hopes to draw our attention away from whatever runs contrary to his plan. He tries to get us hyper-fixated on what will support what he wants to imbed in our hearts and minds and convince us to go the direction of his choosing.
Our enemy did not want these men to go back and encourage others to press into the Promised Land. He wanted them to cower in fear and doubt the greatness of God. He drew their eyes to the strength and stature of the inhabitants and the fortitude of the towns there. He also reminded them of their weaknesses.
In contrast, Joshua and Caleb held their focus on God and His promises, and it made a huge difference in their outlook. They tried to encourage the people to take hold of what God wanted for them, by reminding them of the goodness found in the land and that the Lord was with them (Numbers 14:6-9). Quite a different perspective. But what does that have to do with my first two paragraphs?
Would our enemy and God emphasize the same attributes in my husband’s mind concerning me? What happens when his eyes are drawn to the moments I am curled up in bed relaxing or being impatient? The enemy might attempt to get him to see me as a lazy, cranky old woman. That would affect our relationship…negatively. You may be thinking, “But what if you ARE a lazy, cranky old woman, Candace?” Well, that is a topic for another blog. Right now what I’m trying to draw attention to is: What is our enemy trying to draw our attention to? And what is he trying to draw our attention away from?
Our enemy wants to destroy our relationships with God and others and influence the way we view life. Thus, it shouldn’t surprise us if he uses this “highlighter” strategy in regard to our relationships and the situations we are facing. (Remember how I mentioned I can demonstrate wisdom and also be found on the other end of the “spectrum”? Yeah, I’ve fallen for this more times than I care to admit.)
In light of that, when was the last time you asked God about your perspective on life and people? If you’re married, take a moment and ask God to reveal how the enemy has been trying to get you to view your spouse. Then ask God how He wants you to see them. We can ask the Lord to reveal lies and misplaced focus concerning any relationship or situation we’re dealing with. God would love for us to ask for His insight and involvement.
Lastly, we can draw a few points from when Moses reviewed the Israelites’ history with them:
Deuteronomy: 1:29-33a (NKJV) - “Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go…”
The Israelites’ attention was diverted–they forget what God had said to them and what He had done for them in the past, leading them to agree with the wrong group of spies–the ten. But may we learn from their mistakes and glean encouragement from this passage. May we hold to God’s Word and the history we have with Him, remembering how He has carried us through in days past. And may we know He has gone before us, preparing a way for us to travel and a place for us to settle.
Having the right things highlighted may not remove the giants in the land that is meant to be ours, but it will make those “giants” stand next to our God for a good comparison. And, well, that will definitely help put things in the proper perspective. Go ahead and take a moment to change your focus if you need to. Then…
“Go pack up, we’re marching in!” says this cranky ole lady.
Adjusting my focus,
Candace
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